Normally, an organization should adhere to the unity-of-command principle. This principle requires that everyone be directly accountable to only one supervisor and that formal communication flows through the chain of command.

The span-of-management principle should be observed when assigning employees to supervisors.

Also known as the span of supervision or the span of control, this principle recognizes that there is an upper limit to the number of employees a supervisor can manage effectively. The span of management is determined by such factors as the competence of the supervisor, the training and experience of employees, employees’ work locations, and the amount and nature of work to be performed. Other things being equal, the narrower the span of management is, the greater the number of levels of management that are needed; the broader the span of management is, the fewer levels that are needed.? P-987